@@erod017 Haha my buddy had an 84 s15 with the 2.8. Something happened to the muffler and we ended up throwing a glasspack on it and the thing sounded reminiscent of a 2 stroke Detroit 😄
This car is still one of the most beautiful ones ever made. Idc if it's slow, just give me a manual with it. So sad that Pontiac isn't with us anymore.
@@keisera that's kid talk. 3rd gens are ugly, completely lost their heritage. Not to mention the engine is set back underneath the windshield it's a nightmare. Sometimes it's not all about speed. My 82 T/A and my current 89 5.0 Formula are plenty peppy for me. Stock is beautiful.
Always loved this generation of the firebird, I'm proud to own a 1988 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that I just restored last July. It still turns heads everywhere I go! :)
For me one of the sexiest cars ever. It’s the first car I remember back when I was a little kid. Years later I bought one of these. I have had it for over 13 years now and I am still in love. :-)
I have an 86’ still to this day. I got it right before I went to college. I have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into it over the past 11 years but I’m infatuated with the car. I don’t want to ever get rid of it.
Hi Michael! I will dissapear at the end of first decade of 2.000! Remember Michael, I belong to GM. Everything that they touch becomes in shit. Bye Michael!
@@ericharrison619 Ahh...the GM standard features..the saggy headliner, cracking/splitting/bowing dash and constantly failing DRLs. From the last 40 years the only GM headliner we've had that didn't uttely fail is my 78 Trans Am. Odd, since it's black/black which gets extra hot in the sun. Perhaps being a Norwood built car they used better glue??
I.bought a one owner red 82/TA Crossfirre with every option in 90. I had it 10 years. It had 282K on it when the speedometer cable broke in 97. I tore 3 transmissions and a rear end out of that car. The electric in tank fuel pump was a bitch to replace. It had tan vinyl interior with PMD emblems, power drivers seat, rear wiper, T-tops, CC, tilt, AC, PW, PDL, PS, PB, remote hatch release, posi, functional Ram Air. It was awesome.
I daily a 1984 Trans Am. Absolutely love that car. I purchased a 1982 Firebird V6 SE in 1985. Drove that car for 10 years. I sold it with 285k on the odometer a month before I went to basic training in the Army. Three years ago after retiring from the Army with 23 years in, I found the 84 on Offer Up. Man I love this car. Nothing like a 3rd Gen F-body.
Growing up in Lakewood Oh. I was 11 when this new style came out I would ride my Huffy or walk up to Jack Shaw Pontiac and stare at them I was in love with this car, One day their was a Whit and Gold TA after staring at it the sales manager came out let me sit in it and took me for a ride it was a great afternoon that I will always remember......
Wow, great story, Jackshaw Pontiac brings back memories, I was 9 years old when my parents bought a 1990 Bonneville SE from there, really sharp car, and now all these years later Jackshaw and Pontiac are both long gone....shame
@@randyw5964 I grew up in Parma, still live in the area, I don't get down to Detroit Ave very often but I thought they turned Jackshaw into an NTB or something, very few of those "neighborhood" dealers left anymore, mostly big mega-plexes now next to interstates.
They looked great for the era, but as even mentioned in this review....they sucked at staying on the wheels! I gave up and ran without, kinda looked like a mustang gt "turbine" wheel
Power was weak but the design was spot on & remains timeless & futuristic. All it needs is a simple engine swap and watch the Phoenix come to life. I've seen LS1 swaps on these 82-'84 Birds that make it a 0-60 car in 4 seconds.
Still such a good looking car. Timeless shape. Very sexy. I was born 5 years after this episode but I always recognized the beauty in these cars. Even better in all black as Knightrider😁
Ahhh i remember those day's! They where all the rage back in the day's! I remember we used to Cruise down to markette park in chicago, at night and there would be a row of people parked on the side showing their rides and at times burning their tires, or racing against eachother! Camaro's against firebirds trans am's and mustang's! I was 20 at the time, and i drove a 74 nova with a 350 and posi traction, boy how times fly! Enjoy your youth kids! Because when you less expect it! Time goes flying and you ask yourself! Wtf happened!? Im old!👋😂👍
Note - this is an 1982 model in this video, easily identified by the 82 specific PMD front seats and the straight shift knob. 83 went to a T-Handle shifter.
Yup. I noticed the same. Interestingly, they say it had a 4 speed auto with the crossfire. That configuration wasn't available until 1983. The 82's were 3 speed. Maybe it was a pre production 1983 with some 1982 parts?
Often times early production cars will have carry over parts from the previous year. There's a great dealer sales video on the '69 Charger on RUclips and the car has a '68 dash pad which is very different from a '69 as well as '68 shift knob that is found on early production '69's that were actually produced and an R/T tail stripe that has 3D block lettering on it that was neither a '68 carry over or anything that was ever produced on any '69.
@@paymydues Actuall Crossfire was still available in 1983 and gained 10 hp and was rated for 175 horses. During the 1983 model run the 4BBL L69 305 HO was introduced with 190 HP as a way to fend off the Mustang. It was the first real return to performance for these cars in many years
Thank you for the GM footage! Driving Pontiac! The excitement was coming. I appreciate you sharing the GM and Ford/Mercury/Lincoln footage when it is offered. I enjoy the look back because we can see what progress has been made. I do miss Pontiac as a GM brand on the market just like Oldsmobile.
I used to collect the sales books that the dealerships had on their cars. I remember getting the Pontiac book for this model Firebird/Trans Am. It had the most remarkable photos of the cars. There was one in it with the blacked out T/A in the desert at dusk, with the full moon coming up, and a beautiful woman wearing a black leather jacket and pants with black stiletto heels. I can still see it in my mind all these years later.
Oh man, I love classic MotorWeek and I LOOOOOOOVE Trans Ams... I have two of them myself! I've been watching this show ever since I was a kid in the 80s and the theme music always puts a smile on my face every time I hear it! On a side note... I can't believe this is the first time I've seen this episode. This 3rd gen F-Body platform made it's debut in 1982, not 1983 like stated.
Interesting to see John Davis’ voice presentation style in these early MW’s. Later shows...not sure when it started...he had a lot more put-on enthusiasm in his voice.
The most revolutionary and aerodynamic F-Body ever. 0.29 Drag Coefficient Designed in the wind tunnel to cut through resistance like a Knife through Hot butter. It's one flaw was lacking in Power from Chevy's 305 V8 145-165hp. But it's lightweight frame and Excellent handling made up for it. Had Pontiac been able to Equip it with the Turbo 4.9 From the 1980 & 1981 Turbo Trans Am which made 220hp/325 lb-ft torque it would have much more respectable numbers in performance rivaling Porsche that cost 3 times the price.
I am proud to say I am currently an owner of an all original low mileage 1989 formula. I own two other trans am's years ago remember what a great car, what a fun car it is, so here we are again.
@Catholic Firefighter If the "Leftists" were commies, as you say, he would be EMBRACING them just as he "bends over" for Putin. Last I heard , Putin is STILL a card carrying commie(KGB). PLEASE, get your FUCKIN' facts straight.........Oh, WAIT, you must be using "alternate" facts!!!
I thought the 190 hp HO didn't come out until 1984. I think in 83 you could only get a 4 bbl. 150 hp 5.0 or the Cross Fire Injected engine that I think had 175hp. Both were turds, I owned the 150 hp one in HS, and it was a slug.
jeff jackson HO came out very late in 83, mainly for the car mags at the time. By the time it was truly available, it was 84. Yeah they were slow, but the 5spd made them entertaining.
@@richarddobreny6664 funniest thing about the 5.0 was that if you did a set of heads, a cam, a set of shorty headers, and a 700cfm Edelbrock or Holy carb with 3.73 gears, they ran pretty good. Had a friend do this and he claimed he'd beat the then new 5.0 H.O. Mustang GT even modified. I never believed him till I got a quick run around the block with him. My guess is it made about 270-290hp. Wish I new how much it made at the tire but no one dyno'd anything back then. 😂 I just remembered it ripping through an 87' Mustang GT with headers and a chip pretty easily..... entertaining to experience and I always thought they looked good doing it. So did the Fox Body GT's!
When I first saw the Black and Gold 83 with those Black Wheels and tan interior I almost up and married one of those dang cars!! I had a friend with one and it was like Car Paradise just sitting in the passenger seat.. I was 18 then but I still feel the same about that model. Cars are very Sporty now but few of them evoke the same passion that cars from the 60s, 70s and 80s did..
I’ve had an 80, 81 and 88. I bought my 81 at 16 years old in 1994, it was only a 305 but there was a ton of work and it was a straight, beautiful looking car. My only regret was selling it. That being said I paid 3,200.00 for that car. There was 70k on a rebuilt 305. Idk if it was just around here or a national thing but every Monday the Want Ad Press came out then there was a 2nd book “General Merchandise” and that’s where the motorcycles were. If you were a young guy with a job and a few friends that could help wrench, you could save up 3k and buy a decent daily driver that you could have fun with everyday. It seems that’s all me and my friends did! Buy, wrench, drive, sell, trade repeat! I had so many cool cars that you couldn’t get anywhere near for that price now. I always wanted an 82-83 because I loved KITT but never had one. I used to see early 80’s F Bodies with 100k on a stock motor for 1500 bucks! Now? Between eBay, auctions, everyone thinking they have something that’s “rare”, they’re not as easy to come by but they’re out there. 82 is definitely my next car. Hopefully I can find a straight body and frame and I’ll be happy. Anyone else out there looking for an old Pontiac, I wish you luck! It’s out there…in barns, weeds, an old ladies garage. It’s waiting to be found and have new life! Man now I have to go in the attic and get my old stack of High Performance Pontiac out!
Crazy right? I have a 1988 black GTA. I still feel like it’s a ‘new’ car. You NEVER see them anymore! They were like CHECKER CABS at one point. Everywhere!
Pontiac originally design the 1982 TA to have the 301 Turbo (210 hp) but in GM fashion, they shot it down. Imagine what they could have done later on with a intercooler, a overdrive trans and 500 lbs lighter than the 1981 TA. But instead, we ended up with the sorry145 and 165 hp 305.
My first car I bought outright was in early '99, an '89 Firebird SSA. 2.8L V-6, automatic, hardtop, dark red metallic. Daily driven until around 2012, now lives in the garage until I can restore it. Not the quickest of cars with that 2.8L, but can still cover the miles comfortably and knock almost 30MPG on the freeway. Covered over 100K in that car until I parked it to give it the attention it needs to return to it's former glory. I think I need to go into the garage and hug the old 'Bird now....
Handles as well as a contemporary Porsche. That has to have the haters spinning. But the back seats are fine. I'm 6'2", and I fit back there. Bit of a secret - your knees are not meant to go behind the seat-back in front of you. They are meant to go to the sides. Do that and it's actually comfy back there.
In early 1982 my dad special ordered a Trans Am that was almost identical to the one in the video (but with T-tops, tan leather and the awful cross-fire infected engine). Finally arrived in June, 1982. Looked like a million bucks, handled great and stopped well (WS6 with 4 wheel disc brakes). Accelerated like a wheezy 165hp turd however and in late 1984 traded it in on a new 1985 Trans Am with the TPI engine. To say that Pontiac had improved the car overall is an understatement.
My brothers friends Charles bought one brand new from Smith Pontiac in Latham,NY RT #9 = UpState, NY. There was nothing as futuristic @ that time!!! The ladies loved it!!! Long live Pontiac from an 94 SLP Firehawk owner.
I'm surprised for the handing: Surprisingly it handle better than the Porsche 944 and even in the slalom looks stick it on the road although it wasn't lowered. The design is unbelievably timeless exactly like the more or less contemporary DeLorean DMC12👏
My dad bought one brand new. I bought a Formula 350 soon after. The Formula got rearended by a drunk driver and totalled in '89. I bought the GTA from my dad in '93 as he was going to trade it in on a new Corvette. I drove the GTA for about a year and traded it in on a truck. I needed the truck for work and couldn't afford both. It was a beautiful early production GTA in flame red with a red interior and the early "paddle" exterior mirrors and of course a 350. Nice car.
I’m trying my best to give them the benefit of the doubt by saying GM didn’t send the car with 3 hubcaps and one must have fallen off in transit. But would it shock me if quality control just missed it? Nope.
@@Mikeb-NH They probably lost by the last people that tested the car, those hubcaps looked cool but were a bad idea, I think they only offered them 82-83 and then they were gone.
When I was a 13 year old I once got to ride in one with some older teens who were driving to a skatepark to go skate, we threw our boards in the trunk and I rode shotgun, I felt like Fonzie I felt so damn cool!!😎 I loved it, was the epitome of cool when I was a boy. I think they still look great after all these years..
When I was a kid I thought it was fast like a rocket ship. I never realized how much of a turd that 305 really is. Talk about a boat anchor. Tired 3800’s can still beat it.
@@BeeABaw Crossfire was 165hp for 82 then 175hp for 83. Carb was 145hp for 82 then 150hp for 83-84. 305 H.O. 4bbl for mid-late 83 was 190hp. They switched back to carb because the crossfire couldn't keep up with the hotter cam and raised compression of the new 83 engine which got Tuned Port Injection for 85.
Most of GM's research and development went into the design of the vehicle, not the quality. The drag coefficient of the Pontiac Firebird was 0.33, same as the Corvette. That was groundbreaking back then. I had a Pontiac Firebird and not even three years later, the interior trim and switchgear started falling apart and the crossfire injection system was horrific. Numerous transmission issues as well. But it was a cool looking car which was the main reason why they sold so many.
true. And 1984 aero package returned even lower drag coefficient than that. The 3rd gens did get better through the generation though. The Norwood Ohio cars were generally better than the Van Nuys CA cars, but 1987 was last year for those. I still have an original 1992 and it drives great, like it did new. These things are timeless in appearance though GM certainly did some cost cutting brain dead moves as (all) corporations do
And GMs infamous cease-fire injection was already dropped in the Camaro/Firebird by the time the C4 (1984) Corvette finally made it to production after having to skip 1983. GM already knew the cross-fire was a dud but it was too late to change the engine for the already late Corvette so the 1984 'vette still got cross fire but the Camaro/Firebird had already moved on back to carbureter and all soon having the option for the much better tuned port injection of 1985
Ah yes the notorious cease-fire injection. Aptly named for the god-awful fuel control system that GM employed over the years. Every time I would take my car in for service back then, I would see the mechanics in the bay shaking/scratching their heads as they spent numerous hours trying to diagnose my vehicle's problems along with dozens of other customers at the dealership. I really liked my car and wanted to stay with the brand but too many quality control issues made me look elsewhere.
I own an 87 GTA for the past 10yrs. I have 90k on the 5.7 tuned port. It has been absolutely trouble free minus a battery. Interior is 100% original and completely functional. The transmission is the best automatic I have ever driven. Strong and smooth. Sorry to hear of those early problems.
@@ash27slick74 Yeah, it was cool idea and sounded cool, "cross fire injection" oooh, but GM didnt' really figure out computer controlled fuel injection until TPI and TBI though TPI was the performance version
"Knight Rider.........a shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist. Michael Knight, a young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless. In a world of criminals who operate above the law"
A car made in 1982 might last 5 to 10 years and would become a maintenance nightmare after 100k miles. A car purchased today will last 15 or 20 years and you won't even need to change the spark plugs until you get to 120k miles. Life is cheaper than yesteryear...not more expensive.
@@billschlafly4107 You need to put a caveat in there: an AMERICAN car made in 1982 might last 5 to 10 years. A British car made in 1982 MIGHT last 5 years. Meanwhile, a Japanese, German, or Swedish car made in 1982 would probably have made it to Y2K unless it got totaled.
These cars were so popular back in the day this reminds me of Smokey and the Bandit III and Knight Rider. Haven't seen a Trans AM in years did see a Camaro few months ago it was white.
Any TA is rare now. They're all hidden away as collectors. The V6 ones are either in the junkyard or getting V8 swaps. I have an 02 V6 it comes out on nice days. Not a TA but still lots of fun to drive.
An '83 TA was used in Smokey & The Bandit 3 (terrible movie but anyway...) and there are a few stunt scenes they removed the hubcaps so they didn't go a-flyin' off
@@jamesnoble8205 I loved that movie, but then again I was a kid, there were titties in it, and the star was a Black Recaro Edition Trans-Am..........how could I resist? 😂
This was such a cool looking car when it came out, a definite improvement over the Camaro. But I still preferred my 70 Firebird. The outside was European elegant yet American muscular, the interior was attractive and well laid out. It was a base V8, but it was a wonderful first car to have in the 90s. Damn I miss Pontiac.
i have one identic car as this one of the video even the color is identic and year of the model ! it is in restoring process now ! magnific car! thanks for the video is pretty cool!! love it!
I owned at 1982 Trans Am and while it wasn't fast it road on rails. To my surprise I found the build sheet for it one day. It had the WS-6 suspension package.
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS No, it had seats with a PDA badge. The seats had a hole in the headrest kinda like the Recaro but different. I envied the turbo GTA all day long so Recaro wasn't on my radar all that much...but when I saw that headrest I was jealous for sure. My seats were vinyl so surely my seats weren't special.
@@billschlafly4107 I had an 83 SE but found a Recaro T/A crashed in the front and took the front and rear seats, power doors, disc rearend, gave the motor and trans to a friend and sold the T-top shell with glass. It's in my 2 1996 VHS vids in the cars playlist
I owned a '86 Z-28 and then two 944s (an N/A and then a 951) in a row and I laughed so hard that I started coughing at John trying to compare the handling of the 3rd gen F-body to a Porsche water-cooler 🤣🤣🤣
Nice review. I always looked forward to MotorWeek through the years. Those 3rd gen Trans Ams had timeless design though performance wasn't good until the HO 190HP 305 introduced late in 1983. I see they had the "bowling ball" wheel covers off during most of the video and said the car arrived with only 3. I wonder if they would have fallen off during testing. I also noticed in Smokey and the Bandit 3 they removed the wheel covers during some of the stunts but Knight Rider tried to keep them on best they could with them sometimes coming off and ruining shots. Seems like a poor design when they could have made a cast wheel similar to the 1980/1981 Turbocast wheels that didn't rely on wheel covers but still looked like the 1982 turbocast design and thus the ongoing wheel cover problem would have been avoided that owners still battle today. Too bad both the Firebird and Pontiac are no more today :(
I wouldn't call 15 second quarter mile times "good". The Trans Am and Z28 didn't get good performance until the LT1 came out in them in 1993. They were capable of very high 13's with that engine.
@@1967davethewave Most people remember the 275hp - 285HP LT1s as the first fast ones but the '89-92 L98 TPI cars could run in the 14s (barely) and 0-60 in 5.8sec ('90 IROC-Z) vs 0-60 in 5.6 sec and 14.0 1/4 (1993 Z28 6 speed). So the LT1 4th gens weren't really a lot faster like most people think. Problem is most 3rd gen cars didn't get the L98 or the LB9 5 speed which were the fastest versions. GM sold more base 5.0 liters with autos and those were ehhhh....slow. Remember the '97 SS LT4? Ahhh... And let's not forget arguably the best of all would be the 98-02 LS1 cars. Some of them could muster 0-60 in 4.9sec and 12.9 1/4. Plus the LS series is so much better than the archaic small block design :) I like 4 generations, especially the Firehawks, Bandit SEs and TTA. Too bad Pontiac is gone.
@@digitalmagicAR I owned a Formula 350 and a GTA back in the day. I got the Formula new and the GTA my dad bought new and then in '93 he had decided to buy an new Corvette and he sold me the GTA for what the dealer was going to give him on trade. I remember getting beaten by a lot of 5.0 Mustangs and at the track the Mustangs were low 14 second cars. A few with pulleys and EGR delete were just touching the high 13's. I never took either one of my tune port cars to the track, I ran my '69 GTO. I still run it to this day. The Formula was rearended by a drunk driver and totalled when it was just 2 years old and I traded the GTA for a truck. I remember the 1LE cars being pretty fast but with only a few dozen being built each year they were never around my area. I had a customer with a '96 LT4 Corvette and it was pretty impressive. I didn't know they made a '97 LT4 Camaro. But still, low 15's, high 14's, neither was that impressive when LX Mustangs and Grand Nationals were low 14's to me anyway.
I flipped that exact spec'd car few years ago, Picked it up in Denver for $1700 only 85K miles on the clock, did some minor work/tune up to it and nice wax/buff and flipped it to a Pontiac collector in Dallas. Made a nice penny on it.
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In memory of Pontiac Motor Division. 84 Years of improving Chevrolet automobiles.
knytrydr73 That’s the truth
😂😂😂
Agreed
LOOOL!! So true! :-)
Love your comment so true!
Thanks y'all!
I went with my Dad when he bought his 86 Firebird brand new with the 2.8 V6 and a manual shift. I miss both my Dad and that car very much.
I had an 87 with a V6. Really slow car but fun to drive
Had the same silver one during my freshman year in college! with the "bird" on the hood
@@erod017
Haha my buddy had an 84 s15 with the 2.8.
Something happened to the muffler and we ended up throwing a glasspack on it and the thing sounded reminiscent of a 2 stroke Detroit 😄
Memories are Gold !
@@erod017 my dad have 1982 trans am fire bird
This car is still one of the most beautiful ones ever made. Idc if it's slow, just give me a manual with it. So sad that Pontiac isn't with us anymore.
That’s. Very ture.
Actually for the era it wasn't that slow. Porsche 944 which cost like 3 times more was about as fast.
get a 350tpi model 3rd gen and slap a used supercharger and its ready for 320-390hp
@@keisera that's kid talk. 3rd gens are ugly, completely lost their heritage. Not to mention the engine is set back underneath the windshield it's a nightmare. Sometimes it's not all about speed. My 82 T/A and my current 89 5.0 Formula are plenty peppy for me. Stock is beautiful.
I think the 4th gens look the best, but the 2nd and 3rd gen T/A’s are way better looking than their Camaro counterparts.
Always loved this generation of the firebird, I'm proud to own a 1988 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that I just restored last July. It still turns heads everywhere I go! :)
For me one of the sexiest cars ever. It’s the first car I remember back when I was a little kid. Years later I bought one of these. I have had it for over 13 years now and I am still in love. :-)
Don't sell it 😁
@@TheSpeedfreak665 it's a keeper! 🙂
Keeth's Day man those are worth $ now, sorry not trying to rub it in LOL. I’ve had plenty of toys I wish I never sold, shit happens though.
I have a 1985 pontiac trans am i really like it
I have an 86’ still to this day. I got it right before I went to college. I have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into it over the past 11 years but I’m infatuated with the car. I don’t want to ever get rid of it.
The Knight Rider Trans Am 😎
Hi Michael! I will dissapear at the end of first decade of 2.000! Remember Michael, I belong to GM. Everything that they touch becomes in shit. Bye Michael!
K.I.T.T.
@@aaroncurtis6194 Starting with a cracked dash and saggy headliner.
The only Trans Am that matters.
@@ericharrison619 Ahh...the GM standard features..the saggy headliner, cracking/splitting/bowing dash and constantly failing DRLs. From the last 40 years the only GM headliner we've had that didn't uttely fail is my 78 Trans Am. Odd, since it's black/black which gets extra hot in the sun. Perhaps being a Norwood built car they used better glue??
One of the most iconic car's of the 80's !
When I was a kid I'd watch Knight Rider, Dukes of Hazzard, and the Hulk... Man those were simpler times.
No one was offended. No transgender weirdos. I miss it too.
SonnyGTA Yup.
Three favorites!
I didn't know Hulk had a car 😳
David Banner did have a car at times I am sure but that's not the point of the comment. 🤷♂️
I’ll never forget this show when I was a young boy. Brings back so many warm memories.
Exterior styling still holds up.
4:56. “The back seat is a disgrace” That young couple looked very frustrated. He’s not getting to third base back there .
Third Base? They're better off just getting a room.
Third base in the back seat of an f-body? You would have an easier time getting to third base with someone wearing a chastity belt.
He might get there, but he'll be stuck trying to get out.
That wasn't a couple
Oh, its possible to hit a home run back there LOL
I had an 83 TA in high school. Mine was a 5speed with the carbureted “HO” 5 liter Supposed to be 190hp. Ran good for back in 91.
That car was faster than the crossfire 5.0. You could get a dealer installed 3.25 rear axle with posi as well.
Still got one of these. I bought it in 87
those were cool for sure. And fast for the time
That's awesome! I had the same ta but with a automatic my senior yr 1991🤘red t tops.
I.bought a one owner red 82/TA Crossfirre with every option in 90. I had it 10 years. It had 282K on it when the speedometer cable broke in 97. I tore 3 transmissions and a rear end out of that car. The electric in tank fuel pump was a bitch to replace. It had tan vinyl interior with PMD emblems, power drivers seat, rear wiper, T-tops, CC, tilt, AC, PW, PDL, PS, PB, remote hatch release, posi, functional Ram Air. It was awesome.
I daily a 1984 Trans Am. Absolutely love that car. I purchased a 1982 Firebird V6 SE in 1985. Drove that car for 10 years. I sold it with 285k on the odometer a month before I went to basic training in the Army. Three years ago after retiring from the Army with 23 years in, I found the 84 on Offer Up. Man I love this car. Nothing like a 3rd Gen F-body.
Growing up in Lakewood Oh. I was 11 when this new style came out I would ride my Huffy or walk up to Jack Shaw Pontiac and stare at them I was in love with this car, One day their was a Whit and Gold TA after staring at it the sales manager came out let me sit in it and took me for a ride it was a great afternoon that I will always remember......
Wow, great story, Jackshaw Pontiac brings back memories, I was 9 years old when my parents bought a 1990 Bonneville SE from there, really sharp car, and now all these years later Jackshaw and Pontiac are both long gone....shame
MightyVoice Sounds like you grew up in Lakewood or thereabouts also! It said to drive back there and see how there’s nothing left of the dealer
@@randyw5964 I grew up in Parma, still live in the area, I don't get down to Detroit Ave very often but I thought they turned Jackshaw into an NTB or something, very few of those "neighborhood" dealers left anymore, mostly big mega-plexes now next to interstates.
Is Clay Matthews still in town?
Heh,hopefully not, those crooks. 🙄
The salesman could be arrested nowadays for doing that. Lol
Quality, engineering and manufacturing issues aside by many car makers, the 80’s produced SOME good looking sports cars
Most definitely, I wish we had cars, like that today.
From 50's to early 80's, after that all went to hell.
I've always preferred the looks of the 3rd Gen Firebird over the Camaro, even though I've owned examples of both. Nice review.
I always liked those wheel covers. You don’t see them so often except for KITT cosplays.
The Turbo Cast wheels with bowling ball caps.
TBird100636 they look even cooler on a wheel that isn’t blacked out. I like how John Davis was so casual about the missing wheel cover too.
They looked great for the era, but as even mentioned in this review....they sucked at staying on the wheels! I gave up and ran without, kinda looked like a mustang gt "turbine" wheel
Anche io! Rispondo in italiano che ho visto la S4
Those caps liked to fall off
The prerequisite for owning one of these cars back in 1983 was a mustache and mullet.
And a 6 pack of Budweiser plus a pack of Winstons.
Members Only jacket and Ray Bans!!
Ozzstar's Cars and a big wullet
Gaudy gold chain around neck.
I grew up in the 1980s. But I saw the divorced dads you are talking about.
0-60 in 8 seconds is not that bad considering the era it was conceived
i was conceived in the back of a firebird on prom night
Power was weak but the design was spot on & remains timeless & futuristic. All it needs is a simple engine swap and watch the Phoenix come to life. I've seen LS1 swaps on these 82-'84 Birds that make it a 0-60 car in 4 seconds.
David James = Yes you were and tell your mom I still have that Bird son.
@@davidjames666 dang your parents were pretty open with you... did they show you the video too😁
Cross fire cars would just shut off in the middle of noware
I finished H.S. in 1983! What a look back!
Ur old
@@silverpairaducks Damn! 😂
I graduated in 1983 also. Ugh....barely.
What car did you 83 graduates have just after high school?
I had a 1978 VW Dasher!@@624radicalham
Still such a good looking car. Timeless shape. Very sexy. I was born 5 years after this episode but I always recognized the beauty in these cars. Even better in all black as Knightrider😁
Ahhh i remember those day's! They where all the rage back in the day's! I remember we used to Cruise down to markette park in chicago, at night and there would be a row of people parked on the side showing their rides and at times burning their tires, or racing against eachother! Camaro's against firebirds trans am's and mustang's! I was 20 at the time, and i drove a 74 nova with a 350 and posi traction, boy how times fly! Enjoy your youth kids! Because when you less expect it! Time goes flying and you ask yourself! Wtf happened!? Im old!👋😂👍
My friend burnt the tires off his Trans Am . Took five gallons of gas and a call to the fire department :-(
Got my lic in 86 used to eat 3 gen s like nothing in a 70 nova 355 4 speed everyday practically they were a joke
They were such cool cars. The styling is so iconic. It’s a shame they are disappearing.
Theres just something about 80s cars that i just miss and love.
Note - this is an 1982 model in this video, easily identified by the 82 specific PMD front seats and the straight shift knob. 83 went to a T-Handle shifter.
Yup. I noticed the same. Interestingly, they say it had a 4 speed auto with the crossfire. That configuration wasn't available until 1983. The 82's were 3 speed.
Maybe it was a pre production 1983 with some 1982 parts?
Often times early production cars will have carry over parts from the previous year. There's a great dealer sales video on the '69 Charger on RUclips and the car has a '68 dash pad which is very different from a '69 as well as '68 shift knob that is found on early production '69's that were actually produced and an R/T tail stripe that has 3D block lettering on it that was neither a '68 carry over or anything that was ever produced on any '69.
Willing to bet that TA with the silver hubcaps is an ‘82 model.
Also the crossfire was ditched in 1983 too much trouble apparently
@@paymydues Actuall Crossfire was still available in 1983 and gained 10 hp and was rated for 175 horses. During the 1983 model run the 4BBL L69 305 HO was introduced with 190 HP as a way to fend off the Mustang. It was the first real return to performance for these cars in many years
152 likes and 4 Camaro drivers.
One of the coolest '80s cars out there. And quite aerodynamic, too. Drag coefficient: 0.31
With those 82-84 trans am hubcaps can’t help but think of knight rider I loved as an eighties kid.
I still have my 85 Pontiac TransAm. I bought it 6 years ago. I hope I don't have to sell it any time soon. It's a great car.
Me too, what engine did yours come with?
Thank you for the GM footage! Driving Pontiac! The excitement was coming. I appreciate you sharing the GM and Ford/Mercury/Lincoln footage when it is offered. I enjoy the look back because we can see what progress has been made. I do miss Pontiac as a GM brand on the market just like Oldsmobile.
I used to collect the sales books that the dealerships had on their cars. I remember getting the Pontiac book for this model Firebird/Trans Am. It had the most remarkable photos of the cars. There was one in it with the blacked out T/A in the desert at dusk, with the full moon coming up, and a beautiful woman wearing a black leather jacket and pants with black stiletto heels. I can still see it in my mind all these years later.
Oh man, I love classic MotorWeek and I LOOOOOOOVE Trans Ams... I have two of them myself! I've been watching this show ever since I was a kid in the 80s and the theme music always puts a smile on my face every time I hear it! On a side note... I can't believe this is the first time I've seen this episode. This 3rd gen F-Body platform made it's debut in 1982, not 1983 like stated.
I believe the Firebird appeared in 82, but we didnt get Trans Am til 83.
Interesting to see John Davis’ voice presentation style in these early MW’s. Later shows...not sure when it started...he had a lot more put-on enthusiasm in his voice.
The most revolutionary and aerodynamic F-Body ever. 0.29 Drag Coefficient Designed in the wind tunnel to cut through resistance like a Knife through Hot butter.
It's one flaw was lacking in Power from Chevy's 305 V8 145-165hp.
But it's lightweight frame and Excellent handling made up for it.
Had Pontiac been able to Equip it with the Turbo 4.9 From the 1980 & 1981 Turbo Trans Am which made 220hp/325 lb-ft torque it would have much more respectable numbers in performance rivaling Porsche that cost 3 times the price.
I have the 350 Tuned Port in my Z28. Makes 245hp and 345 torque.
Haven't seen one of these in many years. Love the clean look.
I've seen one everyday for the past 5 years. It's in my garage, and it's a KITT replica. 😎
Wish I could go back in time and grab one of these fully-optioned!!!
Still bummed about the Retro Marathons being ended...
im with you
They were a great way to kill an afternoon.
I am proud to say I am currently an owner of an all original low mileage 1989 formula. I own two other trans am's years ago remember what a great car, what a fun car it is, so here we are again.
1980: 2020 will be awsome
2020: 1980 was awsome
NOW IS AWESOME NO MATTER WHAT YEAR!!
Catholic Firefighter We went from Cold climate commies to warm climate commies.
@Catholic Firefighter If the "Leftists" were commies, as you say, he would be EMBRACING them just as he "bends over" for Putin. Last I heard , Putin is STILL a card carrying commie(KGB). PLEASE, get your FUCKIN' facts straight.........Oh, WAIT, you must be using "alternate" facts!!!
That 3rd Gen F body was a major evolution from the 2-3rd Gen F body, lighter yet more comfortable❤
In ‘83 they came out with a 5-spd and 3.73 rear gears and a 5hp bump on the base V8. Also a HO 190hp v8. Wonderfully entertaining car!!
I thought the 190 hp HO didn't come out until 1984. I think in 83 you could only get a 4 bbl. 150 hp 5.0 or the Cross Fire Injected engine that I think had 175hp. Both were turds, I owned the 150 hp one in HS, and it was a slug.
jeff jackson HO came out very late in 83, mainly for the car mags at the time. By the time it was truly available, it was 84. Yeah they were slow, but the 5spd made them entertaining.
@@richarddobreny6664 funniest thing about the 5.0 was that if you did a set of heads, a cam, a set of shorty headers, and a 700cfm Edelbrock or Holy carb with 3.73 gears, they ran pretty good. Had a friend do this and he claimed he'd beat the then new 5.0 H.O. Mustang GT even modified. I never believed him till I got a quick run around the block with him. My guess is it made about 270-290hp. Wish I new how much it made at the tire but no one dyno'd anything back then. 😂 I just remembered it ripping through an 87' Mustang GT with headers and a chip pretty easily..... entertaining to experience and I always thought they looked good doing it. So did the Fox Body GT's!
I need that MotorWeek little league coaches jacket John has on at the end of this
Don't get near a campfire or smoke a cigarette in one of those.
Why?
When I first saw the Black and Gold 83 with those Black Wheels and tan interior I almost up and married one of those dang cars!!
I had a friend with one and it was like Car Paradise just sitting in the passenger seat.. I was 18 then but I still feel the same about that model. Cars are very Sporty now but few of them evoke the same passion that cars from the 60s, 70s and 80s did..
I’ve had an 80, 81 and 88. I bought my 81 at 16 years old in 1994, it was only a 305 but there was a ton of work and it was a straight, beautiful looking car. My only regret was selling it. That being said I paid 3,200.00 for that car. There was 70k on a rebuilt 305. Idk if it was just around here or a national thing but every Monday the Want Ad Press came out then there was a 2nd book “General Merchandise” and that’s where the motorcycles were. If you were a young guy with a job and a few friends that could help wrench, you could save up 3k and buy a decent daily driver that you could have fun with everyday. It seems that’s all me and my friends did! Buy, wrench, drive, sell, trade repeat! I had so many cool cars that you couldn’t get anywhere near for that price now. I always wanted an 82-83 because I loved KITT but never had one. I used to see early 80’s F Bodies with 100k on a stock motor for 1500 bucks! Now? Between eBay, auctions, everyone thinking they have something that’s “rare”, they’re not as easy to come by but they’re out there. 82 is definitely my next car. Hopefully I can find a straight body and frame and I’ll be happy. Anyone else out there looking for an old Pontiac, I wish you luck! It’s out there…in barns, weeds, an old ladies garage. It’s waiting to be found and have new life! Man now I have to go in the attic and get my old stack of High Performance Pontiac out!
These third gens are getting harder too find for sale and not beat too hell...
Crazy right? I have a 1988 black GTA. I still feel like it’s a ‘new’ car. You NEVER see them anymore! They were like CHECKER CABS at one point. Everywhere!
The car looks still beautiful- but only with headlights off ! 😏
Fortunately the headlights are usually on in the dark so you can't tell anyway. Not sure why they were running the tests with them on.
I used to frequently see these back in the 80's with the "winking" front ends lol.
Pontiac originally design the 1982 TA to have the 301 Turbo (210 hp) but in GM fashion, they shot it down. Imagine what they could have done later on with a intercooler, a overdrive trans and 500 lbs lighter than the 1981 TA. But instead, we ended up with the sorry145 and 165 hp 305.
I had one in black with gold graphics. I still miss that car from time to time.
My first car I bought outright was in early '99, an '89 Firebird SSA. 2.8L V-6, automatic, hardtop, dark red metallic. Daily driven until around 2012, now lives in the garage until I can restore it. Not the quickest of cars with that 2.8L, but can still cover the miles comfortably and knock almost 30MPG on the freeway. Covered over 100K in that car until I parked it to give it the attention it needs to return to it's former glory. I think I need to go into the garage and hug the old 'Bird now....
Handles as well as a contemporary Porsche. That has to have the haters spinning.
But the back seats are fine. I'm 6'2", and I fit back there. Bit of a secret - your knees are not meant to go behind the seat-back in front of you. They are meant to go to the sides. Do that and it's actually comfy back there.
My brother used to comb the road/high ways looking for hubcaps (he collected them),as I recall he had quite a stash of these caps!
In early 1982 my dad special ordered a Trans Am that was almost identical to the one in the video (but with T-tops, tan leather and the awful cross-fire infected engine). Finally arrived in June, 1982. Looked like a million bucks, handled great and stopped well (WS6 with 4 wheel disc brakes). Accelerated like a wheezy 165hp turd however and in late 1984 traded it in on a new 1985 Trans Am with the TPI engine. To say that Pontiac had improved the car overall is an understatement.
My brothers friends Charles bought one brand new from Smith Pontiac in Latham,NY RT #9 = UpState, NY. There was nothing as futuristic @ that time!!! The ladies loved it!!! Long live Pontiac from an 94 SLP Firehawk owner.
I'm surprised for the handing: Surprisingly it handle better than the Porsche 944 and even in the slalom looks stick it on the road although it wasn't lowered. The design is unbelievably timeless exactly like the more or less contemporary DeLorean DMC12👏
Remember on Knight Rider in 1982, this car looked like a spaceship on the streets!!!
That it did.
The scanner light alone was well worth it😎.
SonnyGTA I think KITT was customised by a guy called George Barris who I think also worked on the 60s Batmobile.
Timeless styling and performance made the Firebird such an iconic car.
What performance. That car was a house on wheels.
I had a 1989 Pontiac Firebird and then a 1984 Pontiac Firebird. Both of the were red like the car in the video. Loved them both and miss them.
This car is iconic of the 80’s!
Dwight schrute would be proud
Lol
😁
I thing Dwight's was an '87 or later.
@@billschlafly4107 Dwight Schrute had the GTA, which was the sweetest one to have
My favorite was the 87 GTA.
My dad bought one brand new. I bought a Formula 350 soon after. The Formula got rearended by a drunk driver and totalled in '89. I bought the GTA from my dad in '93 as he was going to trade it in on a new Corvette. I drove the GTA for about a year and traded it in on a truck. I needed the truck for work and couldn't afford both. It was a beautiful early production GTA in flame red with a red interior and the early "paddle" exterior mirrors and of course a 350. Nice car.
So is mine because I got one
Thank you so much Motorweek for this throwback. I love these cars.
4:07 the legendary early 80's GM quality/craftsmanship, or lack of it.
I’m trying my best to give them the benefit of the doubt by saying GM didn’t send the car with 3 hubcaps and one must have fallen off in transit. But would it shock me if quality control just missed it? Nope.
Those hubcaps were notorious for falling off.
These cars were CB poorly built. I had an 89 that I bought new. I loved it but the body was really crappy.
@@Mikeb-NH They probably lost by the last people that tested the car, those hubcaps looked cool but were a bad idea, I think they only offered them 82-83 and then they were gone.
@@rafaelfiallo4123 The N89s were also available in 1984, but only in 14X7.
Good morning Michael.
I have a 95 firebird I have been using for 10 years and I still love it! 3.gen favorite body
Yeah i have had a few 3rd and 4th gen camaro and firebird. My favorite is 3rd gen firebirds
When I was a 13 year old I once got to ride in one with some older teens who were driving to a skatepark to go skate, we threw our boards in the trunk and I rode shotgun, I felt like Fonzie I felt so damn cool!!😎 I loved it, was the epitome of cool when I was a boy. I think they still look great after all these years..
My pops would wake me up on Saturday mornings in the 80s to watch this on PBS great memories.
When I was a kid I thought it was fast like a rocket ship. I never realized how much of a turd that 305 really is. Talk about a boat anchor. Tired 3800’s can still beat it.
Lol
When I was a kid, I was convinced Trans Ams were the fastest and (thanks to the Bandit films) totally indestructible cars ever made
A BOAT ANCHOR!!!!!! Hahahaa
>JT Brooks: You must have had the 145hp version. My 91 Caprice Classic moved out nicely with the stock 305.
@@TeeroyHammermill They made a lot of changes since 83. The crossfire pushed 145hp and carb I believe was 180hp.
@@BeeABaw Crossfire was 165hp for 82 then 175hp for 83. Carb was 145hp for 82 then 150hp for 83-84. 305 H.O. 4bbl for mid-late 83 was 190hp. They switched back to carb because the crossfire couldn't keep up with the hotter cam and raised compression of the new 83 engine which got Tuned Port Injection for 85.
Most of GM's research and development went into the design of the vehicle, not the quality. The drag coefficient of the Pontiac Firebird was 0.33, same as the Corvette. That was groundbreaking back then. I had a Pontiac Firebird and not even three years later, the interior trim and switchgear started falling apart and the crossfire injection system was horrific. Numerous transmission issues as well. But it was a cool looking car which was the main reason why they sold so many.
true. And 1984 aero package returned even lower drag coefficient than that. The 3rd gens did get better through the generation though. The Norwood Ohio cars were generally better than the Van Nuys CA cars, but 1987 was last year for those. I still have an original 1992 and it drives great, like it did new. These things are timeless in appearance though GM certainly did some cost cutting brain dead moves as (all) corporations do
And GMs infamous cease-fire injection was already dropped in the Camaro/Firebird by the time the C4 (1984) Corvette finally made it to production after having to skip 1983. GM already knew the cross-fire was a dud but it was too late to change the engine for the already late Corvette so the 1984 'vette still got cross fire but the Camaro/Firebird had already moved on back to carbureter and all soon having the option for the much better tuned port injection of 1985
Ah yes the notorious cease-fire injection. Aptly named for the god-awful fuel control system that GM employed over the years. Every time I would take my car in for service back then, I would see the mechanics in the bay shaking/scratching their heads as they spent numerous hours trying to diagnose my vehicle's problems along with dozens of other customers at the dealership. I really liked my car and wanted to stay with the brand but too many quality control issues made me look elsewhere.
I own an 87 GTA for the past 10yrs. I have 90k on the 5.7 tuned port. It has been absolutely trouble free minus a battery. Interior is 100% original and completely functional. The transmission is the best automatic I have ever driven. Strong and smooth. Sorry to hear of those early problems.
@@ash27slick74 Yeah, it was cool idea and sounded cool, "cross fire injection" oooh, but GM didnt' really figure out computer controlled fuel injection until TPI and TBI though TPI was the performance version
FOR 1982, THAT IS A GOOD LOOKING CAR
The third gen trans am is a forgotten legend
I love these years, cars and how people looked. How cool is the guy with the moustache and cap just cruising in the 82.
"Knight Rider.........a shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist. Michael Knight, a young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless. In a world of criminals who operate above the law"
Yawn
8.1 to 60 was pretty damn good for 1983. Most regular cars were 12 seconds plus after the death of performance cars during the late 70s
Ha yep I had an 87 cavalier 0-60 was 16 secs.
Absolute timeless design. Still looks modern almost 40 years later.
What the fuck are you smokin
look better than most cars :) timeless indeed
$14000.00 in 1982 dollars is the equivalent of $38065.00 in 2020. 😎👍🎸
Funny that’s right around the base price of a Mustang GT in 2020. Lol cars have certainly gotten better in the last 38 years
A car made in 1982 might last 5 to 10 years and would become a maintenance nightmare after 100k miles. A car purchased today will last 15 or 20 years and you won't even need to change the spark plugs until you get to 120k miles. Life is cheaper than yesteryear...not more expensive.
@@billschlafly4107 You need to put a caveat in there: an AMERICAN car made in 1982 might last 5 to 10 years. A British car made in 1982 MIGHT last 5 years. Meanwhile, a Japanese, German, or Swedish car made in 1982 would probably have made it to Y2K unless it got totaled.
@@billschlafly4107 oh, is that why my 83 trans am is still on the road after 38 years.
"KITT I NEED YA BUDDY"
So relieved it's actually a decent car and not just a pretty face.
I like the twin throttle body injection.
You're the only one I know that likes the cross fire injection. Most T/A enthusiasts hate it.
This was my dream car when I was a kid...
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! I LOVE IT THEN & I LOVE IT NOW!!!!
RIP Pontiac
RIP F-Body
RIP Pop-Up headlights
Concealed headlights,
Cone baaaaaaaack😭😭😭😭😭😭.
Don't forget the T-Tops
4:34 John: Glare was a problem on the flat lens glass! LOL
I love this format!
I remember this as a grand prize in name that tune!!!
This generation and the one before it were so beautiful.
I always liked the looks of this car, never got one, but I purchase a 1982 Pontiac J2000 Hatchback back in 1989. 😆
These cars were so popular back in the day this reminds me of Smokey and the Bandit III and Knight Rider. Haven't seen a Trans AM in years did see a Camaro few months ago it was white.
Any TA is rare now. They're all hidden away as collectors. The V6 ones are either in the junkyard or getting V8 swaps. I have an 02 V6 it comes out on nice days. Not a TA but still lots of fun to drive.
So fast it lost all it’s bowling ball hubcaps except one!! Lol
They never had that Problem in Knight Rider 🤔 Especially with Stunts.
That took two days.
@@TheSpeedfreak665 In the pilot you can see the hubcap come off during the Demolition Derby
An '83 TA was used in Smokey & The Bandit 3 (terrible movie but anyway...) and there are a few stunt scenes they removed the hubcaps so they didn't go a-flyin' off
@@jamesnoble8205 I loved that movie, but then again I was a kid, there were titties in it, and the star was a Black Recaro Edition Trans-Am..........how could I resist? 😂
My first car! Had a red 87! I miss her!
This was such a cool looking car when it came out, a definite improvement over the Camaro. But I still preferred my 70 Firebird. The outside was European elegant yet American muscular, the interior was attractive and well laid out. It was a base V8, but it was a wonderful first car to have in the 90s. Damn I miss Pontiac.
i have one identic car as this one of the video even the color is identic and year of the model ! it is in restoring process now ! magnific car! thanks for the video is pretty cool!! love it!
I owned at 1982 Trans Am and while it wasn't fast it road on rails. To my surprise I found the build sheet for it one day. It had the WS-6 suspension package.
Was it a 82' Recaro T/A?
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS No, it had seats with a PDA badge. The seats had a hole in the headrest kinda like the Recaro but different. I envied the turbo GTA all day long so Recaro wasn't on my radar all that much...but when I saw that headrest I was jealous for sure. My seats were vinyl so surely my seats weren't special.
@@billschlafly4107 I had an 83 SE but found a Recaro T/A crashed in the front and took the front and rear seats, power doors, disc rearend, gave the motor and trans to a friend and sold the T-top shell with glass. It's in my 2 1996 VHS vids in the cars playlist
Those "Bowling Ball" wheel covers though! :o
I turned six years old in July of 1983
Knight Rider boosted the sales.
I owned a '86 Z-28 and then two 944s (an N/A and then a 951) in a row and I laughed so hard that I started coughing at John trying to compare the handling of the 3rd gen F-body to a Porsche water-cooler 🤣🤣🤣
Yes the Pontiac actually handled better. Look it up so easy these days to find the truth.
My first true pony car.
1987 Firebird Formula.
Love her like crazy ❤❤❤
Nice review. I always looked forward to MotorWeek through the years. Those 3rd gen Trans Ams had timeless design though performance wasn't good until the HO 190HP 305 introduced late in 1983.
I see they had the "bowling ball" wheel covers off during most of the video and said the car arrived with only 3. I wonder if they would have fallen off during testing. I also noticed in Smokey and the Bandit 3 they removed the wheel covers during some of the stunts but Knight Rider tried to keep them on best they could with them sometimes coming off and ruining shots. Seems like a poor design when they could have made a cast wheel similar to the 1980/1981 Turbocast wheels that didn't rely on wheel covers but still looked like the 1982 turbocast design and thus the ongoing wheel cover problem would have been avoided that owners still battle today. Too bad both the Firebird and Pontiac are no more today :(
I wouldn't call 15 second quarter mile times "good". The Trans Am and Z28 didn't get good performance until the LT1 came out in them in 1993. They were capable of very high 13's with that engine.
@@1967davethewave Most people remember the 275hp - 285HP LT1s as the first fast ones but the '89-92 L98 TPI cars could run in the 14s (barely) and 0-60 in 5.8sec ('90 IROC-Z) vs 0-60 in 5.6 sec and 14.0 1/4 (1993 Z28 6 speed). So the LT1 4th gens weren't really a lot faster like most people think. Problem is most 3rd gen cars didn't get the L98 or the LB9 5 speed which were the fastest versions. GM sold more base 5.0 liters with autos and those were ehhhh....slow.
Remember the '97 SS LT4? Ahhh...
And let's not forget arguably the best of all would be the 98-02 LS1 cars. Some of them could muster 0-60 in 4.9sec and 12.9 1/4. Plus the LS series is so much better than the archaic small block design :) I like 4 generations, especially the Firehawks, Bandit SEs and TTA. Too bad Pontiac is gone.
@@digitalmagicAR I owned a Formula 350 and a GTA back in the day. I got the Formula new and the GTA my dad bought new and then in '93 he had decided to buy an new Corvette and he sold me the GTA for what the dealer was going to give him on trade. I remember getting beaten by a lot of 5.0 Mustangs and at the track the Mustangs were low 14 second cars. A few with pulleys and EGR delete were just touching the high 13's. I never took either one of my tune port cars to the track, I ran my '69 GTO. I still run it to this day. The Formula was rearended by a drunk driver and totalled when it was just 2 years old and I traded the GTA for a truck. I remember the 1LE cars being pretty fast but with only a few dozen being built each year they were never around my area. I had a customer with a '96 LT4 Corvette and it was pretty impressive. I didn't know they made a '97 LT4 Camaro. But still, low 15's, high 14's, neither was that impressive when LX Mustangs and Grand Nationals were low 14's to me anyway.
@@1967davethewave Sounds like you've had some fun cars
I flipped that exact spec'd car few years ago, Picked it up in Denver for $1700 only 85K miles on the clock, did some minor work/tune up to it and nice wax/buff and flipped it to a Pontiac collector in Dallas. Made a nice penny on it.